The Buffalo Sabres front-office shakeup continued on Saturday with the dismissal of a key executive under the former regime.
The club announced on Saturday that it had relieved Jason Karmanos as associate GM of the Sabres and GM of the club’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. While many thought the next big move would come in the team’s roster, the move hit the front office.
So, it seems that Jarmo Kekalainen is serious about getting his staff in order before proceeding with other on-ice business. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. According to insider David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period, Kekalainen could be hiring a familiar face to take over the associate GM role.
That face is former Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin.
Bergevin is currently with the LA Kings as part of Ken Holland’s administration. But it seems that Bergevin could now be on his way to the Sabres to support the new Kekalainen regime.
The move is certainly intriguing. Bergevin had been one of the names floated for the New York Islanders’ GM role earlier this year. Instead, the club hired former Tampa Bay Lightning assistant GM Mathieu Darche.
Bergevin first served in a front-office role with the Chicago Blackhawks before moving on to the GM role in Montreal. He served there from 2012 to 2021. Since 2022, Bergevin has been a part of the Kings’ organization as a senior advisor.
Bergevin Brings Much-Needed Experience to the Sabres
Marc Bergevin brings much-needed experience to the Buffalo Sabres. His work running the Canadiens allowed Bergevin to make a name for himself. His track record includes being the runner-up for the General Manager of the Year award in 2014.
Under Bergevin’s watch, the Canadiens had several successful seasons. In his last year, the Canadiens would go on to the Stanley Cup Final in the COVID bubble playoffs. However, the club was on a path towards a rebuild.
So, that’s the track record that Bergevin brings to the Sabres. He’s a seasoned veteran exec who knows how to deal with the pressure of a major NHL franchise. The move, no doubt, is part of the restructuring that the club would like to implement from the top down. That restructuring will eventually trickle down to the roster at some point.
Kekalainen Wants to Surround Himself with Trusted Folks in Buffalo
As Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic noted, Jarmo Kekalainen intends to surround himself with people he trusts as he embarks on his Sabres tenure.
Fairburn wrote:
“He may seek to surround himself with some trusted assistants, but the hiring of Bergevin shows he is also looking outside his previous staff to begin changing the culture in Buffalo.”
That’s a powerful message to the Sabres’ faithful. The initial thought is that Kekalainen has owner Terry Pegula’s blessing to do things his way. In that event, Kekalainen should flex some muscle as he looks to imprint his seal on the culture in Buffalo.
More changes could be forthcoming. But in the meantime, bringing in someone like Marc Bergevin will be a major step towards building a winning organization in Buffalo.
Sabres Could Be Landing Big-Name Exec per Insider